Ithaka
by uirgiliana
Summary: Even when the gods go around interfering in people's lives, there are some things we mortals have to sort out ourselves. After his return, Odysseus puts his house in order.


With the peace brokered by glow-eyed Athene  
godlike Odysseus went  
into his own house, with his son  
the well-speaking Telemakhos  
taking with him radiant Penelopeia  
she whose wit matched his own  
and he made ready his reception room;  
it had been much damaged by battle.  
Into it he took Eupeithes  
whose son had been Antinoos, the first  
killed in the game laid out  
by deathless Gods.

Into it he also took Polubos, father of taunting Eurumakhos  
and many other of the braided Akhaians  
those long-haired men of rock-strewn Ithaka  
in order to make himself again lord of his own land.  
Some of these men still trembled  
with the fear laid on them by Pallas Athene  
and of thought-full Odysseus they were afraid.  
No dealing would they have with him.  
Then young Telemakhos,  
grown son of far-famed Odysseus  
spoke to them. "Men of Ithaka,  
be not afraid. Was not my father kind to you  
before the Gods sent him on his far-flung voyage?  
Why then are you afraid? Indeed, you should rejoice.  
Pallas Athene, bearer of the great shield  
has blessed him to be our lord again. I shall be joyful  
in his service."  
And saying this, he knelt before the seat of Odysseus.

The warriors of Ithaka  
gazed on him as he rose to stand at his father's side.  
Here was the brave lord indeed,  
his heir kindly spoken yet stronger than they. Telemakhos  
who would have the throne of Ithaka from his father  
spoke again.  
"Good Akhaians, is this not your king?"

Then Euenor  
whose son had been Leokritos  
rose and said  
"This man killed my son, and his father Odysseus  
killed many of yours.  
Let them both die for it."  
Many of the Akhaians listened to him  
and remembered the great battle Athene  
in face and body yet like Mentor  
had caused them to forget; their rage was stirred  
but crafty Odysseus said nothing  
and stilled his son's words.

Now Damastor, the father of Agelaos  
spoke caution;  
"This man has defeated our sons;  
they were young and stronger than we  
and outnumbered him by many.  
What hope have we to vanquish him,  
he of the deadly bow? His spear casts  
a long shadow indeed."  
Thus the men of Ithaka heard  
and of long-suffering Odysseus  
they were afraid.

The heart of Odysseus was filled  
with sorrow at these words.  
He who had journeyed so long to come  
at last to his homeland  
had no wish for fearful obedience.  
Thus spoke Odysseus to the braided Akhaians:  
"Brothers, you have no need  
for fear. Though I have killed your sons  
the suitors of Penelopeia  
I have mourned in my heart for the speed  
of my arrows – if only they had not hit their marks  
or better still, had not been fired.  
Yet this was needful, in its time.  
What man among you  
would not defend his household  
and his life? Sweet Penelopeia  
my son, brave Telemakhos  
all my servants and myself  
it was we your sons set themselves upon. See: their bronze has wounded us."  
And Telemakhos showed to the assembly the binding on his wrist  
flesh torn by a spearhead in the fray.

"Look upon me, brother Akhaians," said Odysseus again.  
"Do you not see your king? Do you not see the man  
you thought long lost  
the journeyer gone from Troy, stranded far from home?  
I have returned to you  
to find my house taken over, my wife and child besieged  
your sons courting my Penelopeia though I yet lived  
and you wonder at my anger. I tell you,  
men of my beloved Ithaka,  
that my retribution was just."  
Now the fathers of the suitors heard these words  
and said among themselves  
"He speaks truth."

The wisdom of the Gods was laid upon crafty Odysseus,  
and to his speech the people listened.  
He spoke to them wise words and soothed their fears;  
he was installed again in his own household  
the power of a king put in his hand.

"My brothers," he said  
to the long-haired Akhaians  
"all, from the moment of my leaving in the hollow ships,  
has been put against my return here. My courage faltered  
many days against Poseidon on the sea  
in the cave of the Kuklops, the death of my companions  
but always my heart grew strong again  
at the thought of sweet Ithaka."  
And so the hearts and minds of the Akhaians were filled with joy  
at the return of long-suffering Odysseus.

Sea-ringed Ithaka prospered  
in the care of thought-full Odysseus, her lord  
and glow-eyed Athene smiled on the man, my Muse  
as he slept again at last  
in the arms of Penelopeia.

ΠΕΙΡΑΡ  
The End

* * *

 **A/N:** Spellings from Edward McCrorie's translation. I was fourteen when I wrote this. Free verse, because I didn't yet really understand meter.


End file.
